Bangalore:The Chennai citizens are a
relieved lot with the firs! phase of water from Andhra Pradesh's Kandaleru
reservoir flowing into Chennai's lifeline Poondi reservoir, thanks to the
upgraded Telugu Ganga Canal.

This was
possible on account of works undertaken by Sri Sathya Sai Baba, which
included concrete-lining the canal, upping the Kandaleru reservoir
capacity and constructing storage facilities.

The project
optimises harnessing water from the catchment areas.

"The water
collected at Kandaleru reservoir was released on November 23 to coincide
with Baba's birthday At 850 cusecs, nearly one TMC of water has been
released till December 10 and 0.5 tmcft has reached Poondi,"' said R.
Kondalarao, former engineer-in-chief (Panchayati Raj), Andhra Pradesh
government.

In all. 3.5
tmcft of water is to be released in this phase and Poondi is expected to
get 3 tmcft. At this rate, Poondi will fill up in 75 days.

"The 65-km canal has been redone to plug transmission
losses. With Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra releasing the
agreed share of water, the canal will deliver 12 tmcft to Poondi every
year. This substantially eases the water crisis," said Kondalarao,

ĽAt the first anniversary of his super-speciality
hospital in Bangalore, Baba announced he would undertake this drinking
water project. It was completed in 18 months," said C. Sreenivas, member,
Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.

Presently, 11 tmcft of water is
stored at Kandaleru that gets its feed from Somasila reservoir, With
continuous water (low from Somasila, Kandaleru is likely to receive 13.5
tmcft by January 4.

" We've increased the Kandaleru reservoir capacity to
68 tmcft and with normal rain, the water level should reach this mark in a
couple of years. In the long run. the project will solve Chennai's water
problem," Kondalarao said.

posted by K V Naresh on It came on Times of India (7th
Page) on 16-December-2004